Author: Tumanian Talar

Kathimerini, Greece
June 30 2006

Genocide

A nationalist Turkish lawyer said yesterday that he has petitioned
prosecutors to bring an Armenian religious leader to trial for
`insulting Turkishness.’ Karekin II, whose official title is
Catholicos of All Armenians, made a visit to the Greek Orthodox
leader in Istanbul last week. While calling for improved relations
between the two countries, he repeated Armenia’s long-held view that
the Turks committed genocide against Armenians. Lawyer Kemal
Kerincsiz asked an Istanbul prosecutor to bring charges against
Karekin. (AP)

DISAGREEMENT OF YEREVAN AND BAKU ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PRINCIPLES WOULD BE TRAGIC LOSS

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.06.2006 13:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "We have heard both sides say repeatedly that
they have never before been so close to an agreement. It would be
a tragically wasted opportunity for the two Presidents to let this
window of opportunity close in 2006 without even the basic principles
in place for a future peace agreement for Nagorno-Karabakh. As you
know, election cycles are approaching, first in Armenia and then in
Azerbaijan during 2007-2008," says the statement made by the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-chairs and submitted to the OSCE Permanent Council
in Vienna June 22. "We have seen before the negative effect that
national elections can have on negotiations, and we continue to
believe that now is the time for the two Presidents to summon the
political will to take a courageous step forward together toward
peace. Mr. Chairman, as Co-Chairs, we have reached the limits of our
creativity in the identification, formulation, and finalization of
these principles. We do not believe additional alternatives advanced
by the mediators through additional meetings with the sides will
produce a different result.

We hope that the Permanent Council will join us in urging the parties
to the conflict to reach an agreement as soon as possible based on
the core principles we have recommended. If the two sides are unable
to agree on those principles we have put forward, we believe it is
now contingent upon them to work together to reach an alternative
agreement that both find acceptable. We remain ready to assist. As
mediators, however, we cannot make the difficult decisions for the
parties. We think the parties would be well-served at this point by
allowing their publics to engage in a robust discussion of the many
viewpoints on these issues. We are confident that neither society wants
renewed conflict, and we urge the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to
work with their publics and to work with each other to formulate an
agreement on core principles that both find acceptable. Ultimately,
it is the two sides that will be held accountable by their peoples
and by the international community if their actions lead to war and
not peace," the statement says.

POPULAR PARTY COULD HAVE DONE IT

Lragir.am
29 June 06

The Popular Party is ready and can run in the election alone, stated
the secretary of the Popular Party Grigor Harutiunyan June 29 at the
Pastark Club. He noted that the Popular Party could have done the
same in 2003.

"At that time our aim was to bring together the political forces
to establish a common approach. We do not deny anything now, we may
run in the election alone or in an alliance. Time will show," stated
Grigor Harutiunyan. According to him, there is some time until the
election and the approaches will be made clear in fall.

Grigor Harutiunyan disagrees that the opposition is passive with
regard to processes underway inside the government. For the Popular
Party, he says that both the parliamentary corps and the members of
the political council meet with the population, they are going to
visit the villages. Grigor Harutiunyan says if necessity arises for
more intensive contacts with the population, it will be done in fall,
if necessary in summer too. Grigor Harutiunyan thinks that the other
opposition parties will do the same.

The secretary of the Popular Party gave an ambiguous answer to the
question whether the Popular Party would join an alliance, which
would not be led by Stepan Demirchyan. Grigor Harutiunyan says the
Popular Party has always upheld consolidation.

WE SHOULD HAVE PREPARED FOR FESTIVAL MORE SERIOUSLY, NATIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION UNION CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Jun 28 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN. "We should have prepared more seriously
before organizing the "One Nation, One Culture" second All Armenian
Cultural Festival. Paruyr Hayrikian, Chairman of the National
Self-Determination Union, expressed such an opinion in his interview
to Noyan Tapan correspondent.

According to him, this festival has only a cognitive character, but
it is time to pass to practical steps. P.Hayrikian said that this year
CIS countries solemnly mark the 15th anniversary of their independence
but nothing was said about this at the "One Nation, One Culture"
festival. "The Armenians spread all over the world have gathered in
their homeland and this was an occasion for solemnly celebrating the
15th anniversary of our independence. A nation becomes united first
of all with its statehood, but this statehood is not evaluated today,"
P.Hayrikian said.

CBA AND GENERAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE TO COMBAT MONEY LAUNDERING

ArmRadio.am
27.06.2006 15:08

"RA Government is ready to implement international norms to combat
money laundering," said Simon Hodard, Adviser of the UN Global
Programme Against Money Laundering.

At the seminar on "Highlighting the fight against money laundering in
state bodies of Armenia" Simon Hodard highly appreciated the activity
of the Central Bank of Armenia, the General Prosecutor’s Office and
other structures.

RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan noted that the fight against
money laundering demands high professional skills and existence of
an information basis. He reminded that in 2001 Armenia joined the
international convention to fight money laundering. Aghvan Hovsepyan
informed that the General Prosecutor’ s Office and the Central Bank
are going to sign a memorandum of understanding, which will allow to
combat money laundering more effectively.

President of the Central Bank of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan noted that
the international community is trying to create a common field for
combating money laundering, and Armenia, which is rapidly integrating
into the international financial system, is obliged to closely
cooperate with international organizations.

"For effective fight against money laundering it is necessary to raise
the level of knowledge of the employees of corresponding agencies,"
Tigran Sargsyan said.

The seminar was organized by the Central Bank of Armenia, the OSCE
Office in Yerevan and UN Global Programme Against Money Laundering.

TESSA HOFMANN: NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED BY A NEUTRAL STATE
By Kim Gabrielian in Stepanakert

AZG Armenian Daily
27/06/2006

International workshop entitled "Nagorno Karabakh Republic: Its Past,
Present and Future" was scheduled to end on June 24 but it was closed
a day earlier.

Prior to the final session workshop participants called a press
conference to summarize results of the three-day meeting. Kamo Atanian,
NKR minister of education, culture and sport, stated in his speech
that the workshop is a unique event in independent Artsakh and that
it’s the first time such a workshop is held here. In his words, the
workshop evidenced that NKR exists as a country that independently
forges its statehood, which is able to defend its borders alone and
develop its economy and culture. He thanked all those who contributed
to workshop’s success.

Aram Simonian, rector of Yerevan State University, thinks that the
workshop showed that Artsakh is not only a center of resistance
but also a center of science and culture. The rector expressed that
young participants were not active during the conference. He also
emphasized that henceforth such workshops should be held using the
local scientific potential as outsiders can only play the role of
a detonator.

Simonian thinks that the Stepanakert workshop cannot directly
contribute to the international recognition of NKR but can create
an environment for the correct perception of the issue by the world
community and also serve as propaganda.

All speeches made at the workshop will be published in a book and
distributed to the public for the people to know the opinions
voiced there, education and culture minister said. Besides, an
announcement-document will be prepared to hand the international
structures.

Asked by daily Azg to comment on her earlier statement that it’s vital
for NKR that at least one state recognizes its independence, famous
German political scientist Tessa Hofmann said that she first of all
means the international structures engaged in Karabakh regulation. For
the world community itself it will be very weighty that any powerful
state recognizes NKR.

Asked whether NKR’s recognition by Armenia will have a positive
impact, Mrs. Hofmann said no reminding the example of Northern
Cyprus. "Recognition by an interested state can even have an opposite
effect.

It’s necessary that a neutral state takes this step," she said.

Undoubtedly, the Stepanakert workshop was a significant event
in Nagorno Karabakh regulation process. We expect that it will be
adequately evaluated abroad. It seems that the international scientific
thought has created ground for the right legal approaches to the issue.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006

FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH DIRECTOR GENERAL OF IOM
[June 23, 2006, 14:37:27]

Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met June 22 with Director General
of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Brunson
McKinley, who is in Baku to participate in the 33rd session of the
Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

The guest said he was pleased to visit Azerbaijan, and impressed with
all-round development he witnessed in the country.

Elmar Mammadyarov and Brunson McKinley discussed ways to further
develop cooperation between the Azerbaijani government and the IOM in
tackling the problems of refugees, internally displaced persons and
migrants.

Mr. McKinley noted that his organization comprising 118 members and
closely cooperating with various UN structures, is keen to develop
ties with Azerbaijan, which he said is now facing the problem of
refugees and internally displaced persons.

Minister Mammadyarov stressed the importance of peaceful solution to
the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia’s
withdrawal from the occupied Azerbaijani territories and returning of
internally displaces persons back to their homeland.

He said a great deal of things regarding this problem depends on
willingness of the international community.

The conversation also revolved around the questions discussed at the
33rd session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, and
other international issues.

TREND, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006

President of Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan’s patience is not infinite

Source: Trend
Author: S.Aliyev

23.06.2006

"Out problem number one is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between
Armenian and Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, there is no advancement in
this sphere at all. Talks are on and on without any result as they
make no sense", reportedly said today President of Azerbaijan Ilham
Aliyev, speaking at graduation ceremony in Highest Military School
n.a. Heydar Aliyev.

"Azerbaijan’s position always was very constructive. We have been
committed to conversation process for more than 10 years, which
evidences our right position",- said head of state. Against all the
odds, he continued, Azerbaijan tries to use capabilities of talks
in full. "However, Armenia’s position doesn’t allow us solve this
problem",- president said.

Ilham Aliyev reminded that the UN approved four resolutions on
Nagorno-Karabakh that state the unconditional release of Azeri
grounds. Besides, other international organizations, like the CE,
Organization of Islamic Conference, ECO, GUAM, have made their
decisions. However, head of state said, Armenia does not comply with
these decisions.

"Now we don’t hope for international regulation mechanisms. We cannot
get along with this situation. We will never get along with loss of
our grounds. We will never let Nagorno-Karabakh apart from Azerbaijan
and this is not the matter of talks. The matter of talks may only be
the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and security of
all the nations in the region. There is no agreement possible beyond
these frames", President claimed.

"We highly appraise the efforts and decisions of international
organizations in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We highly
appraise the work of the Minsk Group. Thy really do their best to
settle the problem but Armenia’s position fails them. In such an event,
Azerbaijan shall revise its policy", Aliyev added.

"How long we will take part in talks? How long shall we wait? Our
patience is not infinite. Azerbaijan is a fat-developing country
today. Armenia can compete us neither in economic nor in political
or military respect. Let people in Armenia think where Azerbaijan
and Armenia will be in one, three, five years. Armenia doesn’t have
any chance to grow up. They are restrained from all international and
regional projects. Economic growth in Armenia is limited. Some half
of its population has left the country. We know they lack people even
to guard the frontline",- President said.

"Azerbaijan today faces no problems but Karabakh. Therefore, all
necessary funds shall be allotted to form the army", Aliyev said.
Azerbaijan lives in the state of emergency and army formation shall
be the matter of great importance. Even today, army is paid big
attention to. "We work in all directions on strengthening the army.
It is necessary to allot funds from the state budget to raise the
army and we do this. Last three years our military expenses rose in
4 times. They amounted $135mln in 2003, while in 2006 this amount
equals $700mln. And our plans include raising this amount",- Ilham
Aliyev said.

President of Azerbaijan underlined that the country’s budget grows
each year alongside the army financing.

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006

President Aliyev: Azeri Ministry of Defense Industry to help army

Source: Trend
Author: S.Aliyev

23.06.2006

"The Ministry of Defense Industry has been setup in Azerbaijan
recently. Unless we were in the state of war, there would be no
necessity to establish such a ministry", – reportedly said President
of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

"Until we solve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict we shall build a strong
military-industrial complex. We do much in this respect and I hope
strong military industry ill be created in Azerbaijan in short to
help the army in turn", President noted.

NKR DELEGATES TO MEET U.S. OFFICIALS

Lragir.am
23 June 06

On June 23-30 NKR Speaker Ashot Ghulyan and Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrosyan will visit the United States. They will visit Boston, New
York and Washington, meet with representatives of Bush administration,
the Congress and the Armenian community. A wide range of questions
will be discussed from the Karabakh settlement to cooperation with
NKR. A visit to Capitol is scheduled on June 28.